Electrophotographic printing and/or copying machines use thin wires, referred to as charger or corona wires, in order to charge and/or discharge various surfaces and thereby attract/repel toner particles to/from those surfaces. In most electrophotographic machines, one such charger wire typically extends in close proximity and parallel to the surface of the photoconductive drum and is used to charge that surface. Another charging wire is typically positioned to charge the image-receiving substrate (typically a sheet of paper) as it travels toward the drum. Other charging wires may be positioned and used elsewhere within electrophotographic machines, such as, for example, to charge and/or discharge the drum and/or other components of the machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, a typical charging wire 10 generally includes a wire portion 12 attached at each end thereof to copper lugs or terminals 14 that are typically pressed-on to wire portion 12. Wire portion 12 is typically very thin, such as, for example, 0.022 to 0.004 inches in diameter. The thin wire portions 12 are relatively fragile and sensitive to vibration. Therefore, the charging wires and the container within which they are packaged must be handled with great care.
Multiple charging wires are typically packaged within a single container for shipping and/or handling. A typical such packaging arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein a plurality of wires 10 are shown contained within a single container 20. More particularly, opposing terminals 14 are received within respective holders 22, which are typically constructed of molded foam and disposed within container 20 at opposite ends or sides thereof. Wire portions 12 extend between the opposing terminals 14 and holders 22, and are thus maintained in a taught condition or under a predetermined/desired tension.
Due to their fragility, a significant proportion of wires are often broken during shipping and handling, and additional wires may be broken as they are unpacked and exposed to further handling.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is an improved container and method of packing a plurality of charging wires for shipping and handling.
Furthermore, what is needed in the art is a package for individual charging wires that protects single charging wires from damage during shipping and handling in a bulk container, and during unpacking and subsequent handling of the individual wires.